January 5, 2009
The Oregon Cascades
The Oregon Cascades are not like some other western mountain ranges. Frankly, if you've grown up on the SIerra or the Rockies, you may find them a little thin in places -- a handful of 10,000-foot volcanic peaks jutting up out of heavily forested 5,000-foot hills. In many places the hiking is severely overcrowded; the Three Sisters Wilderness will remind you of Yosemite some days, and climbing South Sister can mean navigating a steady stream of hikers on the way up and back.
A beautiful, large Cascade lake is Waldo Lake, southeast of Eugene.
That said, the Cascades have their charm. Crater Lake is truly spectacular. Near Portland, Timberline Lodge captures a moment in Oregon -- and American -- cultural history, with its WPA aura.
Photo: North and Middle Sisters
all text and images © 2005-06 by Bob Keefer
no reproduction allowed in any form without written permission